Plants of the Week

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E.g., 04/10/2024
E.g., 04/10/2024

Erica blenna var. grandiflora

Image of E. blenna var. grandiflora Photo: Plantweb
Common names: lantern heath, Riversdale heath (Eng.); belletjieheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica blenna var. grandiflora is unusual in flower shape and colour and these attributes contribute to making South African ericas uniquely...

14 / 07 / 2008 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Trianoptiles

Trianoptiles solitaria leaves.  Photo Dr M. Muasya
Common names: sedges (Eng.); biesies (Afr.)
Family: Cyperaceae

Trianoptiles is a tiny genus of three species, two of which are highly threatened in their natural habitat. Despite being on the brink of extinction...

07 / 07 / 2008 | Caitlin Von Witt | CREW
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Euryops abrotanifolius

Image of Euryops abrotanifolius
Common names: lace-leaf euryops, mountain resin bush (Eng.); bergharpuisbos, geelmagriet (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Euryops abrotanifolius is an easy-to-grow fynbos shrub with bright yellow daisies during winter and spring that will cheer up the winter garden....

07 / 07 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe variegata

This plant is now called Gonialoe variegata....

30 / 06 / 2008 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Gonialoe variegata

Gonialoe variegata
Common names: partridge breast aloe (Eng.); kanniedood, bontalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

This plant was previously called Aloe variegata. Gonialoe variegata is one of the best known, and most distinctive of the South African aloes. The characteristic...

30 / 06 / 2008 | Werner Voigt | Harold Porter NBG
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Agathosma apiculata

Image of A. apiculata bloom
Common names: garlic buchu ( Eng.); knoffelboegoe (Afr.)
Family: Rutaceae

The leaves of Agathosma apiculata are aromatic and a distinctive garlic scent is released when the leaves are crushed, due to the volatile oils in the...

30 / 06 / 2008 | Norma Lucas | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Protea burchellii

Protea burchellii
Common names: Burchell's sugarbush ( Eng. ); blinksuikerbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Protea burchellii is a medium-sized, winter-flowering shrub and a delightful addition to any fynbos garden....

23 / 06 / 2008 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Hydnora africana

Inside of H.africana flower
Common names: jackal food (Eng.); jakkalskos, bobbejaankos (Afr.)
Family: Hydnoraceae

Hydnora africana is one of the most bizarre-looking plants on the African continent and is certainly not the most common of plants to be encountered...

23 / 06 / 2008 | Werner Voigt | Harold Porter NBG
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Pelargonium ionidiflorum

Image of flowers
Common names: violet-flower pelargonium
Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium ionidiflorum provides beautiful violet pink flowers all year round in the garden....

16 / 06 / 2008 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Leucadendron elimense subsp. elimense

female plant in flower
Common names: Elim conebush
Family: Proteaceae

Leucadendron elimense subsp. elimense is an attractive species not be overlooked when driving along the gravel roads between Elim and Bredasdorp....

16 / 06 / 2008 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG
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Faurea saligna

Image by Geoff Nichols of flowers
Common names: willow beechwood, African beech (Eng.); Bosveldboekenhout (Afr.); iSefu, umCalathole (Zulu); isiDwadwa, umOnyeli (Ndebele); mohlako, mongena (Northern
Family: Proteaceae

The willowy shape of Faurea saligna is a graceful feature in large gardens and landscapes, and its resistance to termites is a bonus, especially...

09 / 06 / 2008 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Bowkeria citrina

Image of Bowkeria citrina
Common names: yellow shell-flower bush (Eng.); geelskulpblombos (Afr.)
Family: Stilbaceae

The wonderful display of the bright yellow flowers, the fragrance of the leaves and the polished brown fruit of Bowkeria citrina, make this beautiful...

09 / 06 / 2008 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Xerophyta retinervis

Xerophyta retinervis in flower
Common names: black-stick lily ( Eng.); besembos, bobbejaanstert (Afr.); sifunti (Swazi); isigqumana, isiphmba (Zulu)
Family: Velloziaceae

Xerophyta retinervis is a fascinating plant with blackened stems in the winter months but totally transformed in the early summer when covered with...

02 / 06 / 2008 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Syncolostemon teucriifolius

 Syncolostemon teucriifolius in flower
Common names: teucrium-leaved sagebush
Family: Lamiaceae

...

02 / 06 / 2008 | Karen Wall | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Justicia campylostemon

Flowers
Common names: honey justicia (Eng.); isipheka (Zulu)
Family: Acanthaceae

...

26 / 05 / 2008 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euphorbia barnardii

Euphorbia barnardii
Common names: mokgwakgwatha (Pedi)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia barnardii is an unusual succulent shrub endemic to the Limpopo Province....

26 / 05 / 2008 | Pethole Manyama | CREW
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Raspalia trigyna

Flowers
Common names: Pondoland ghost bush
Family: Bruniaceae

The flowering plant family Bruniaceae is almost entirely endemic to fynbos, the typical vegetation of the Cape Floral Kingdom of the Western and Eastern...

19 / 05 / 2008 | Lize Von Staden | TSP
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Erica regia subsp . regia

Erica regia: copyright Plantweb
Common names: Elim heath, bell heath, royal heath (Eng.); belletjieheide, elimsheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica regia is a very popular garden plant in South Africa and features in many of the older gardening books. It is quite easy to grow and has very...

19 / 05 / 2008 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Jensenobotrya lossowiana

Jensenobotrya lossowiana
Common names: druiwetrosvygie
Family: Aizoaceae

This perhaps the most peculiar of all the mesembs, found only in a small isolated area in the Namib desert; yet it is easy to propagate....

12 / 05 / 2008 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Brachiaria serrata

Brachiaria serrata
Common names: red top grass, velvet signal (Eng.) ; rooisinjaalgras (Afr.)
Family: Poaceae

Brachiaria serrata is a perennial grass with bright green leaves and red or purplish-red spikelets covered in silky hairs....

12 / 05 / 2008 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria
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